The art of the long (musical) goodbye
I made a playlist.
The rules of the playlist:
… Most of which were bent, cracked, stretched, strained, folded, stapled, spindled, and mutilated in the process…
Rule 1: Stay away from obvious choices.
- No ‘Layla,‘ for example. ‘Layla’ has a place on many other playlists. To include:
Best of Clapton!
And:
Songs About Homewreckers.
- No “Free Bird”; no explanation needed.
Exceptions:
- ‘I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man’ – Prince; because it’s beloved and the platonic ideal of the genre
- Along with Genesis’ ‘Abacab.’
- ‘Baker Street’; the sax riff is too profound to ignore.
- ‘Hotel California’; I can’t quit you.
Rule 2: No Rush.
- I am unable to get past Geddy Lee’s voice due to a genetic mutation, mine or his or both.
Working Man’ is on right now. And my fillings are vibrating painfully.
Exceptions:
i.e., bands I’m not fond of but included anyway:
- Metallica: ‘One’
- Dave Matthews Band: ‘Proudest Monkeys’. They got lucky.
Rule 3: Less than 10 minutes in length.
This precludes much of prog rock and jam bands and other artistic overindulgence.
One Exception (of a few:)
- ’Time Has Come Today,’ The Chambers Brothers, which breaks multiple rules. I find the demonic laughter hilarious, the nod to holiday music amusing, and, well, it makes me feel like Robert Duvall in surf mode.
Other Exceptions:
- ‘Telegraph Road,’ Dire Straits;
- ‘Got To Give It Up,’ Marvin (a multiple rule breaker, too, but it’s Marvin).
Rule 4: No singing in the fade.
Thus, no ‘Hey Jude.’
‘Hey Jude’ is also obvious: (see Rule 1).
- Scatting and other wordless vocal decorations are okay.
- A reprise of the vocal hook is verboten, as it breaks the mood (this rule is fudged, as well).
A long coda diminishes gracefully, like a sunset. Or gout pain.
Rule 5: At least two minutes.
Allows the playout to breathe and develop.
Exception, barely:
- ‘The Boxer.’ Self-explanatory.
Rule 6: Must be an outro.
So:
‘Aja’ doesn’t scan.
Even though it has two lovely instrumental passages. The coda, however, is too short. Painful, to be sure.
- But the Dan does make an appearance: ‘Glamour Profession’.
Rule 7: Nothing live.
People and bands tend to stretch things out when they’re onstage.
- Studio largesse only.
Rule 8: At least 50 songs.
I won’t bore you with the whole list.
Here are a few I haven’t mentioned yet:
- ‘Give It to Me,’ J. Geils Band
- ‘Human Touch,’ Bruce (a surprise; he was in his pop period here but let this one patiently swirl away to nothing)
- ‘Sunrise,’ Eric Carmen
- ‘Let’s Clean Up the Ghetto,’ The Philadelphia All-Stars.
Rule 9: Extended dance singles not allowed.
I understand the need.
But this need often makes for musical repetition.
Exception:
- ‘Disco Inferno.’ Jimmy Ellis is allowed to break all the rules (or at least 3, 4, 9, and maybe even 1).
Rule 10: One song per band.
Obviously, legends might have three or four included here.
Looking at you, Stones, Supertramp, The Who, Prince.
Keeps things fresh and varied.
Rule 11: Not an instrumental.
The idea is to compare and contrast the vocal body of the song with its non-vocal ending.
Instrumentals have their own playlist.
Rule 12: I like the song.
Also obvious.
So… maybe the rules are merely guidelines. A few notes:
Led Zeppelin didn’t make it for one reason or another.
Maybe I’ll add something from them some day. Maybe not.
Gary Numan’s ‘Cars’ is the shortest song on the list.
Under 4 minutes, with 2.5 of them that slightly sinister synth denouement.
I made some nice discoveries:
Either because I wasn’t familiar with the tunes or I was taken aback they met the criteria.
- ‘We Started Nothing,’ the Ting Tings.
- ‘Demolition Man,’ The Police.
- ‘Wakin on a Pretty Day,’ Kurt Vile.
- ‘Madman Across the Water’ Elton John
And:
- Shuggie Otis’ original “Strawberry Letter 23.‘
I’m sure you have other suggestions and/or criticisms.
Let ‘em rip.
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This is fun.
You have some good ones here. Please bore us with the full list!
Here are some suggestions I culled from my various playlists. Hopefully they don’t break any of the many rules. They all end with at least 2 minutes of instrumental.
Glide- Pleasure- It’s a bass guitar manifesto at the end. I just love it.
Slave- Rolling Stones- Granted, not a lot of vocals in this song period, but it should still count. Plus Sonny Rollins.
Computer Love- Kraftwerk- ends with about 4 minutes of instrumental. Mesmerizing.
Green Grass and High Tides- The Outlaws- Over 4 minutes of guitar jam heaven at the end.
Stay- David Bowie- off of Station to Station. Killer instrumental coda at the end of this.
Also-
What You Wouldn’t Do for Love- Bobby Caldwell
Good one, rb! Added.
Yes, may we have the full list, please?
Continuing:
All right. In chunks, it goes:
Yikes! I was just about to suggest that very same Tim & Tim track.
The first one that comes to mind is Dire Straits’ “Industrial Disease,” but you already have another one from them, so … (and I’ll have to go back to check on the two minutes).
I second rb — we need that full list!
You’re right, cs, Dire Straits has many to choose from, including three excellent choices from Love Over Gold alone.
I like this! There is nothing like a great song that has a long musical coda. I have two entries for you, but one doesn’t count:
“Hello, It’s Me” – Todd Rundgren
I just checked and it sadly clocks in at only just over a minute. Too short! And it is. It could go on for another 5 minutes and I’d be happy.
“Sunset Grill” – Don Henley
My favorite Eagles related product. The instrumental coda is divine and lasts just over 2 minutes. I think this one checks all your boxes (unless you don’t like it).
“Goodbye Stranger” – Supertramp
The perfect outro does exist. But I think it’s too short for your list
“99” – Toto
It’s only 1:45. Can we adjust this requirement? 🙂
And, yes, we need that entire list.
Just remembered one! Totally obscure, but wonderful.
“Campers in Control” – The High Llamas
This 1996 entry is very Beach Boys-ish sounding. I love it. Two minute instrumental coda.
(parenthetical comment to Link:
If you think of it, maybe on Mondays, chime in the comment section and promote your radio show. I always kick myself on a Wednesday morning when I realize I forgot to listen in.)
I listened last night, and the featured artist was Louis Armstrong. Good stuff as always.
Another couple of “just remembered”…
“You Got That Right” – Lynyrd Skynyrd
Their best song (by far), but sadly the coda only lasts 80 or 90 seconds
But another qualifying one would be
“Isn’t She Lovely” – Stevie Wonder
Not my favorite Stevie, but it’s not bad
Stevie qualifies. I bow to you, Link.
Added both ‘Sunset Grill’ (can’t believe I missed that one, thanks!) and ’99,’ because it’s good and about Maxwell Smart’s colleague (I guess?) and I’m applying ‘The Boxer’ exception.
Some I’ve already mentioned:
Fun subject and I wholly approve of the author’s right to make the rules and ignore them as they see fit.
Few British entries;
Stone Roses – I Am The Resurrection
Teenage Fanclub – The Concept
And this from Super Furry Animals in which No Sympathy transforms from sweet melancholic song to wild drum and bass breakout for 2 minutes.
https://youtu.be/tdJWncmFQ9Q?feature=shared
Thanks for the suggestions, JJ. I’ll be checking them out as soon as I finish not repeating myself for the rest of the list.
I have an advantage over everyone in that I was able to consider my choices during the article layout. Plenty of time to think of stuff.
The problem is, just about everything I came up with broke one of the rules.
So I’ll ask for dispensation regarding :
Deacon Blues: I don’t think it clocks in for two minutes.
However, I think Year Of The Cat meet meets the criteria?
And on a personal note, a song that I came up with on my own and put on YouTube about three years ago has a long outro; inspired by the aforementioned Al Stewart and Steely Dan.
We’re going to need the URL….
Not to mention a solid pair of earplugs.
https://youtu.be/SzAQ1XDsRD4?si=9idP_NcJgqec_8z4
I believe you posted this in the comment section at the mother ship at the time. I remember hearing it! Some “Fountains of Wayne” vibes happening here.
I remember this, too! Great lyrics, message and production. Atta dude.
But you should’ve extended the coda so the song lasted to 8:45.
https://youtu.be/JTEFKFiXSx4?si=kX_GS-7T0ygeeMqJ
I’m sorry, sir. ‘Year”s coda is too short and ‘Deacon’ was superseded by ‘Glamour Profession.’ Now let me go and check out your own private submission.
Another entry with an*.
Santana’s Black Magic Woman takes a wonderful turn at the end for several minutes.
This might not apply, because although it’s a seamless transition, it’s technically a different song called Gypsy Queen.
But it’s still excellent.